Senior European politicians have expressed alarm at Jean-Marie Le Pen's strong showing in the French presidential election while it was welcomed by fellow leaders of the far right.

Mr Le Pen won enough votes to take on Jacques Chirac in the run-off in two weeks' time.

[The result] throws a great dirty rock into the European political pool

Neil Kinnock EU commissioner

"I hope that all democratic powers will unite against right-wing extremism and xenophobia," said Sweden's Social Democrat Prime Minister, Goran Persson.

German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said that the share of the vote obtained by France's far right was "alarming".

But he stressed that the run-off election on 5 May was the main issue.

Poland's Social Democrat Prime Minister, Leszek Miller, said that Mr Le Pen's success posed a threat to the European Union.

"The slogan of Le Pen's campaign was 'First France and the French'," he told Reuters.

"Le Pen did nothing to hide his scepticism towards an open Europe, a tolerant Europe, and in his rhetoric he constantly underlined his hatred of foreigners."

In Britain politicians united to express what European Commissioner Neil Kinnock called their "shock and horror" at the result.

Mr Kinnock said the level of support expressed for the extreme right-winger threw "a great dirty rock into the European political pool".

Rise of the right

Mr Le Pen's shock defeat of the Socialist candidate, Lionel Jospin, follows a series of far-right election successes beginning in Austria two years ago and continuing through Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark.

It's not surprising that French voters are moving to a far-right party - they have the same problems of insecurity, of immigration and political corruption

Filip Dewinterleader of Belgium's Vlaams Blok

There were expressions of support for Mr Le Pen among some of Europe's other far-right parties which have been on the rise.

"I'm very, very pleased that Le Pen scored such a large victory", said Filip Dewinter, leader of the Vlaams Blok in Belgium.

"It's not surprising that French voters are moving to a far-right party. They have the same problems of insecurity, of immigration and political corruption..."

In Austria, where sanctions were imposed in 2000 after Joerg Haider's Freedom Party entered a coalition government, a spokesman called the vote a "slap in the face for the inventors and initiators of the EU sanctions against the Austrian Government".

But in Italy the National Alliance, which is part of the government, played down Mr Le Pen's share of the vote.

"Le Pen collected protest votes but he is not an
alternative," said Maurizio Gasparri, the communications minister and a member of the party which can trace its roots back to Mussolini's Fascist party.